Curriculum

Concept Schools (CS) six core values; guide its interactions with all members of the school community:

• Respect – All members of the CS community (students, parents, and staff) have equal worth and should be treated with respect.
• Responsibility – All people have choices, and teachers, parents, and students should be responsible for their actions.
• Integrity – Belonging to a community requires a commitment to the common good. The community is stronger when everyone can be counted upon to be honest and trustworthy.
• Courage – Having the courage to try new things expands minds and causes students, parents, and staff to reach beyond their own expectations.
• Curiosity – The ability to wonder and to create connections stimulates further learning. At CS, inquiry will be fostered on the part of parents, staff, and students.
• Effort – Success is accomplished when students, family, and staff are willing to do what it takes to accomplish their vision of the future.

Culture and Philosophy

 “Failure is not possible unless you really want to fail.” – Edwards Capp, junior at Horizon Science Academy Cleveland High School

Perhaps this student’s quote best describes the culture and philosophy of CS. The success of students, parents and staff who work hard and achieve success are recognized and celebrated!

The core features of CS are based on ten features of good small schools outlined in Redesigning High Schools: What Matters and What Works (2002), a publication of the School Redesign Network at Stanford University.  The core features of CS include:

• Personalized approach  
• Continuous relationships
• High standards and performance-based assessments
• Adaptive pedagogy
• Multi-cultural teaching
• Knowledgeable and skilled teachers
• Collaborative planning and professional development
• Family and community connections
• Democratic decision-making  
• Authentic curriculum  

Curriculum

The CS is dedicated to providing a diverse population of students with an outstanding education focused on math, science and technology. The curriculum is designed to ensure 100% student proficiency on state standards in math, science and English Language Arts as well as a 100% graduation rate and acceptance into college.

CS implements a standards-based, college-preparatory curriculum giving the staff flexibility to adapt instructional strategies in order to meet the needs of the students. All parts of the CS curriculum is fully aligned with State Learning Standards.

Curriculum maps and unit plans provide the framework for the detailed weekly lesson plans that the teachers will complete with their grade-level partners. A shared drive will make plans accessible for reference by students and staff. These plans will specify the daily activities and assessments that teachers will use to teach and measure progress and to ensure that all homework and class work are aligned to standards.

Middle School Curriculum

Below is the middle school sequence with total weekly instructional time: